Houston Astros lawsuit alleges field violates Americans with Disabilities Act

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(Photo credit: University of College/Shutterstock) Houston Astros ADA lawsuit preview: Who: Major League Baseballs The Houston Astros franchise has been hit with two separate lawsuits alleging violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act at their home, Minute Maid Park. Why: The plaintiffs claim the Astros improperly greeted them at a Lady Gaga concert and Astros game held at Minute Maid Park. Where: The class action lawsuits were filed in federal court in Texas.

Major League Baseballs Houston Astros received two complaints in one week for separate allegations that the franchise violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) at events held at the teams’ home, Minute Maid Park.

In a complaint, plaintiff Joshua Scurria claims he bought tickets in the only ADA section on the floor for a Lady Gaga Chromatica Ball concert at Minute Maid Park in September, arguing that the area was far from the stage and poorly constructed.

Scurria, who uses a wheelchair, says the designated accessible seating area was not separated by ropes or barriers, was not elevated and was placed directly behind the conventional seating area.

Additionally, Scurria claims that he was continually blocked from seeing the concert by able-bodied spectators standing in their chairs, and that his complaints to event attendees did not completely resolve the issue.

Mr. Scurria complained to attendants about people passing through the ADA section, but they did not know what to do or how to respond to his complaints, the Houston Astros ADA lawsuit states.

Scurria maintains that he was unable to fully enjoy Lady Gaga’s concert due to the constant interruptions caused by patrons standing on chairs and passing through the seating section of the ADA.

The plaintiff seeks a trial by jury and seeks declaratory relief as well as compensatory and nominal damages.

Astros game leaves two Houston residents distraught and upset

In the other complaint, two Houston residents claim they had to pay a $16 fee at Minute Maid Park to transfer their Astros game tickets to accessible seating, after being told their tickets could be redeemed at their arrival at the game.

Plaintiffs Rebeka Stowell and Carrie Stowell, the former wheelchair user, claim that in addition to having to pay the unexpected fees, they had to park offsite because they could not find designated accessible parking.

Rebeka and Carrie Stowell further claim that they were embarrassed and humiliated after being constantly watched by stadium security working to keep track of Rebekas’ service dog.

The plaintiffs felt like they were being penalized and treated as if they had done something wrong simply because Rebeka was accompanied by her trained service animal, the Astros ADA lawsuit states.

Rebeka and Carrie Stowell also claim that the wheelchair seats did not have a divider, causing other customers to frequently bump into the back of the Rebekas chair, and that the accessible cubicle in the washroom was too small and that the family bathroom door was too heavy. .

The plaintiffs were unable to enjoy the Houston Astros baseball game and decided to leave the game early during the fourth inning, the Astros ADA lawsuit states.

Rebeka and Carrie Stowell, who say they were upset and distraught over the incident, are demanding a jury trial and seeking declaratory judgment and injunctive relief as well as an award of compensatory and nominal damages.

A similar complaint was filed against the Chicago Cubs of MLB earlier this year by an individual claiming the baseball teams’ home stadium, Wrigley Field, violated the ADA by allegedly not having enough wheelchair accessible seating. rolling.

Have you had any problems when attending an event in an area reserved for people with reduced mobility? Let us know in the comments!

The Houston Astros ADA lawsuits are Scurria, et al. v. Houston Astros LLC, et al., Case No. 4:22-cv-04385, and Stowell, et al. vs. Houston Astros LLC, et al., Case No. 4:22-cv-04340 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas.

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